Improved edge-finishing tool



lJQHN B. BLANCHARD, OF.MARLBORO, MASSACHUSETTS'.

Letters Patent No. 76,391, dated April 1868.

IMPROVBD EDGE-FINISHING TOOL.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Be it'known that-I, JOHN' B. BLANCHARD, of Marlboro, in the county of Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an improved Edge-Tool for finishing` boot'and shoesoles, tc.; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken-in connection with the drawings which accompanyand'form part of this specication, is a description ofl my invention sulcient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it. i

Thisinventionconsists in adding to: the ordinary hand edge-tool'a gauge, which is sooperated by a spring as to be pressed toward the bead or tia-nge which is tixed to the body of the tool, and which forms the nish of the upper face ofthe sole, Where it is seen between the sole-edge and the vamp, said gauge moving against the tread of the sole, and yielding as the edge-tool is worked', under pressure, back and forth on the sole-edge to any variations in the thickness of the sole, and acting with suiiicient force to finish the upper surface of the sole,.while the operator directs the pressure of the tool upon the edge-surface ot' the sole.

The drawing shows a. side view of an edge-tool with my invention applied thereunto.

a is the body of the tool, which is confined to the handle b by o. shank from the body inserted in the handle.

On one corner ofthe body ais the flange c, which is intended tov operate on the upper surface of tllesole, on --t-hat surface which is exposed between the vamp and the edge of the sole, and there may be formed on the body 1a, parallel with flange e', llets 0f any desired form and size, designed to work markings or lines on the soleedge, parallel with the upper corner of the sole. The yielding springworked gauge is marked d, and fits the roundedsurface of the body a, and has its own face, which operates on the tread of the sole, also rounded, so

` as to prevent `inur'ing or marking the soleetread by any irregularity of movement by, the operator. It will be seen also that the conve face of'the gauge is setlat an angle with the convex face of the body a, so as to prevent the corner e from making a line'orcrease on theIsole-tread. The gauge d has a. guide-spindle, h, supported in and working through the piece f, which is fastened to the body a. Qn this spindle is the helical spring g, which is compressed between the outer end of piece lfand a collar, t', which is madeadjustableon the spindle JL, so that the action of spring g is always to press the gauge d toward the flange c, while on the outer ond of spindle t'is a collar, j, which keeps the gauge d from being forced into contact with the ange e.

Portions of a vamp and sole of a shoelare represented in red lines in their .relation to the tool', and it will be seen that while a. workman gives his `attention to pressing the convex face of the body a directlyupon the edge-surface of the sole, and to moving it thereiipon, the spring-gauge acts to cause the flange c to press the upper surface of the sole, so as to finish the surface of the sole at its upper corner. The mode of applying the spring, and of guiding the gauge, may be varied' wjthout'dcparting from luy-invention.

The improved tool described may be applied to `finishing the edges of other objects besides boot and shoesoles, as, for example, the edges of straps, dto.

I claim combiningwitll the flanged bodyof an edge-finishing tool a spring-worked gauge, substantially as and for the purpose described. u l

' JOHN B.v BLANCHARD.

Witnesses:

S". N. Ammon, .Ions RIVERS.' 

